Carboniferous Fossils

(4 slides)

Paleontology and geology

Mountains rose to the east as continental collisions began to form the supercontinent of Pangea. Rivers eroded these rising mountains and carried sediment westward into a shallow sea that covered much of the state. Vast swamps developed in the lowland areas and enormous amounts of plant matter accumulated. These deposits would become the coal seams mined in Pennsylvania today.

Links to more on the Carboniferous in Pennsylvania

Carnegie Museum: Invertebrate Paleontology Section: The Carnegie Museum of Natural History Section of Invertebrate Paleontology has more than 100 years of research, field work, educational outreach (PALS), and exhibits on Phanerozoic life. Our collections number more than three-quarters of a million specimens with some 11,000 type and figured specimens published in more than 300 professional publications. Our type and collection strengths are concentrated in the Lower and Upper Paleozoic rocks of the Appalachians, mid-continent, and western Interior Seaway.